It is known from EP1162338B1 to apply decelerating devices, also referred to as shock absorbers, to single or modular pieces of furniture in order to prevent the mobile furniture member, e.g. a door or a drawer, from violently slamming onto an abutting surface or end-of-stroke for the same, during the closing phase of the door or drawer, e.g. following the reception of an excessive closing push by a user.
The device according to EP1162338B1 is essentially based on the combined action of a spring and a viscous fluid which act on a piston integral with a stem integral with a pushrod which cooperates in use with the mobile member to be decelerated, which stem is fluid-tightly sliding in a body containing the spring and the viscous fluid; the known described device, while being satisfactory as a whole, presents the drawback of requiring a relatively complex internal construction in order to allow the free movement of the piston in the viscous oil bath, due to the volume reduction to which the space inside the body which contains the viscous fluid is subjected consequent to the progressive entrance of the stem in the same, during its sliding movement towards the retracted position.
More in general, the known device further presents a relatively high cost and dimensions, specifically if a high contrast force on the piston is required. During the opening step of the door or drawer, the stem further requires a certain time in order to resume the extracted position which may not be sufficient if an immediate closing step occurs, whereby the contrast action developed by the device in this case may not be sufficient to avoid slamming. Finally, the assembly of the known device is relatively complex and may leave air bubbles in the viscous fluid which in use may produce noise or ‘rough’ operation despite the presence of means (such as compressible sponges) which attenuate the effects thereof.